System and apparatus for reeving counterweight cables



June 1935- R. w. KALTENBACH 2,003,75

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR REEVING COUNTERWEIGHT CABLES Filed Feb. s, 19543mm fwd /WZMM @w @La MM y M @vrouw/136 Patented June 4, 1935 uNiTEoSTATES SYSTEM AND 'APPARATUS FOR REEVING COUNTERWEIGHT CABLES y.

Robert W.' Kaltenbach, Cleveland. Heights, Ohio Application February 8,1934, Serial No.710,275`

5 claims.

This invention relates to a system of reeving for counterweight cables,and is adapted for use on car dumpers for relieving the overload orexcess load on the pan, and for maintaining the counterweight ropes, orcables, under suiiicientV stress to keep them taut at all times. It isespecially applicable for use on car dumpers that employ a pivoted paninto which the contents of a car are directed, and from which thecontents flow into a chute or other means of conveyance for deliveryinto the hold of a vessel. The pivoted arrangement of the pan isnecessary to permit a variation of the elevation and inclination of thepan to suit vessels of diierent size. The means for swinging the panabout its pivot -usually comprises a cable, one end of which is attachedto the outer end of the pan, and the other end of which is attached toan operating drum after passing through a system of sheaves at the top'of the dumper frame.

The recent trend toward apparatus, which will minimize the degradationof coal while it is being handled by the dumper has resulted in numerousadditions to the pan, and has increased the weight to such an extent asto require a counterweighting system that is automatic in its operationto take care of the excess or overload, and thereby to relieve the oldmechanism of undue stress.

An object of the present invention therefore, is to provide acounterweighting system, which when applied to a car dumper, meets thenew operating requirements of the pan, and yet maintains adequate spacefor the platen and associated mechanism.

My invention, in addition, contemplates a construction, which may bereadily installed in existing car dumpers without necessitatingexpensive alterations in the construction thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, Fig. l is a side elevation, partly insection, of a car dumper embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammaticperspective view illustrating the system of reeving.

I have shown my invention in connection with a car dumper, which has apan I that is pivotally connected at II to bearing blocks I2 that may beslidably mounted in guideways I3 that are carried by the frame. It is tobe understood that there are two bearing blocks, one at each side of thepan entrance, and that the car dumper will have the usual car receivingplaten and its associated mechanism (not shown). The vertical movementof the bearing blocks and therefore, of the pan entrance may becontrolled by cables I4, which arev attached toeach bearing block, andwhich extend over sheaves I5 and I6 at the top ofthe frame, and thencedownwardly and arounda power-drivendrumY Il. One position of the bearingblocks is 'indicated in Fig. 'l by the fullflines, Vwhilel anotherposition is indi-- cated by the dotted lines Ia in the same view.

To tilt the pan about its pivot, I have shown a cable 20, one'endof--which is anchored, as at 2|, to the outer end ofthe pan, and whichpasses over sheaves 22an'd 23" adjacent the topA of the frame, andthence around a power driven drum 24. One positionof the pan isindicated in full-lines in Figi,` 1',-whi1e a different positionis'indicated by the'brokenlines IUarin the same illustration. Tocounterbalance-the weight ofthe pan, I have shown'a counterweight 30,whiehnis movablevertically-in-a guidewayV 3|, and which carriesa sheave32,l as is vshown inFigs. l and 2; f

'Ihe counterweight 30 is not intended to be eiective until the pan isslightly below a horizontal position, and so without the presentinvention, considerable slack occurs in the counterweight cable,whenever the pan is raised above the horizontal position. It isnecessary however, to swing the pan upwardly above the horizontalposition to permitvessels to pass therebeneath.

I'he reeving of the cable, which connects the counterweight to the panforms part of my invention, and is best illustrated in Fig. 3, which isa diagrammatic representation. From such illustration, it will beapparent that I utilize a single cable, one end of which is i'lxed, asat 35, to the frame, and which passes downwardly around sheave 36 on thepan, thence upwardly around sheave 31 at the top of the frame, thenceacross the frame and downwardly around sheave 38 from whence it passesaround sheave 39, which is carried by an auxiliary counterweight 4D,After passing the sheave 39, the cable extends upwardly around sheave 4Iat the top of the frame, thence over sheave 42, also at the top of theframe, and downwardly around the sheave 32 on the main counterweight,thence upwardly around sheaves 43 and 44 at the top of the frame, thencedownwardly and around sheave 45 on the auxiliary counterweight, andthence upwardly again around sheaves 46 and 41 at the top of the frame,thence downwardly around the sheave 48 on the pan, and thence back to aiixed point 50 on the frame. Thus, a single cable is fixed at its ends,and is looped around a main counterweight and also intermediately atspaced points around an auxiliary counterweight. Under normalconditions, the main counterweight is not intended to function betweenthe zones illustrated by the pan between the lines I 0 and ma. At suchtime, the slack in the cable is taken up by the auxiliary counterweightand the weight of the pan additions is counterbalanced.

To permit adequate movement of the auxiliary counterweight,'1 have shownvertical guides 5|, which may be supported by brackets 52, which inturn, extend forwardly of the guides 3| The auxiliary counterweightsheaves 39 and 45 may then be journalled in it as is best shown in Fig.2. In this way, the auxiliary counterweight functions to take up theslack for the full range of pan movement. To cushion the blow, if any,at the upper limit of movement of the auxiliary counterweight, I haveindicated a spring 55, in Fig. 5, which may be carried either by theframe, or by the upper part of the auxiliary counter- Weight. f p

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a system ofreeving embodying my invention may be readily attached to existing cardumpers without necessitating extensive changes in the constructionthereof, and that the pan counterweight cable is at all times maintainedin taut condition. This is advantageous, for when- Y one of the loopssupporting the chute, and the other loops supporting the respectivecounterweights.

2. In combination, a frame, a material conducting chute associatedtherewith, two counterweights, a single cable interconnecting the cableand counterweights, the cable being reeved to support the chute at twopoints, and one of the counterweights at one point, and the secondcounterweight at two points.

3. In combination, a frame, a chute movably mounted thereon, twocounterweight guideways associated with the frame, a main counterweightslidably mounted on one of the guide ways, an auxiliary counterweightslidably mounted in the other guideway, and being disposed intermediatethe main counterweight and the chute, sheaves 0n the counterweights,frame and chute, and a single cable connecting the counterweights andchute, and being supported intermediately by the sheaves on the frame.

4. InY a device of the character described, the combination with aframe, of a material conducting chute swingablymounted thereon, a maincounterweight for the chute, a cable connecting the counterweight to thechute, the cable having a depending loop disposed intermediate thecounterweight and chute, and an auxiliary counterweight supported in theloop.

5. In combination, a frame, a material conducting chute supportedthereby, two counterweight guideways associated with the frame, a maincounterweight and an auxiliary counter- Weight movable within therespective guideways, a cable xed at its ends and being reeved into fiveloops, two of the loops supporting the chute adjacent the outer endthereof, two of the loops supporting the auxiliary eounterweight, andthe remaining loop supporting the main counterweight.

ROBERT W. KALTENBACH.

